


Mokita

by Ariejul



Series: Alone in the Fallout [5]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Danse is only trying to help, Danse is worried, Deacon is MIA, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Especially to Herself, F/M, Falling In Love, Familial Love, Longing, Male-Female Friendship, Pre-Relationship, Shaun and Danse discuss power armor, Sole Survivor Lies, Sole Survivor is stubborn, emotional issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-11 13:46:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11149662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariejul/pseuds/Ariejul
Summary: Mokita: the truth everyone knows, but no one speaks.Danse and Dogmeat return to Sanctuary. Julia refuses to face the truth.Post-game.Takes place after Ya'aburnee.





	Mokita

**Author's Note:**

> Continuing the saga of Julia and Deacon, now with Danse and Dogmeat! I wanted to write Danse happier than he is in the actual game, and ~~tone down~~ cut out all the "Yay, Brotherhood!" zealotry. Being so heavily focused on the Brotherhood really did his character no favors. 
> 
> Besides, Danse definitely deserves some happiness. Also, just to clarify, in this story, Julia convinced Haylen to leave the Brotherhood so she wouldn't have to kill her.
> 
> I will fully admit that before now, I kind of forgot Dogmeat existed. Oopsies.
> 
> As with all my writings, no beta to be had. Please let me know if you see any mistakes.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Julia, with Shaun in tow, is walking toward the communal kitchen when Dogmeat nearly knocks her over. “Whoa, buddy. It’s good to see you, too.” She laughs, happily scrubbing the dog’s head.

If Dogmeat is here, then that means… 

“Hello, Julia,” Danse greets, an easy grin on his face. She has to admit he looks well. When he’d left Sanctuary, he was still suffering beneath the brunt of his true lineage. Traveling the Commonwealth can be deadly even the best of days, and she refused to allow her friend to travel alone while emotionally compromised. It’s mainly why she sent Dogmeat with him. She could trust him to keep Danse safe. After all, Dogmeat saved her own skin more than just a few times in the beginning, and Danse, even at his worst is more competent than she was then.

“Danse! It’s good to see you. I wasn’t expecting you back.” She walks up as he’s exiting his power armor. She’s glad he doesn’t feel the need to always wear it now.

Shaun, who had been dithering behind her, darts past, giddy at the sight of the former paladin. “Hi Danse. Can I look at your power armor? I promise not to break anything.”

Danse laughs, glancing to Julia. “I don’t mind, but make sure it’s alright with your mother first.”

Puppy dog eyes stare up at her pleadingly. “Can I, Mom? Pleeeease?”

“Go ahead, Shaun. Just be careful. Power armor is hard to fix, and don’t miss supper!” She smiles at Danse. When Shaun had first come to Sanctuary, he’d been awkward with the boy and never addressed Julia as his mother. Now, it seems to come naturally.

The boy smiles brightly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I will.”

Julia walks around the settlement with her friend, hand resting on Dogmeat’s head. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed her pup until now. Just standing beside her seems to ease some of the anxiety weighing her down. He’s a pillar of strength she sorely needed these few months.

“Everything seems to be running smoothly,” Danse says after a time.

Julia feels a curl of guilt in her chest at that. “It is. Preston’s really outdone himself organizing everything.”

Danse raises an eyebrow. “I seem to recall you were largely involved in the planning.”

Julia frowns, hearing the question behind the words. “I took a step back. I wanted to be able to focus on Shaun. Preston understood.”

Danse stops and takes a long look at her. “Julia. What’s going on?”

She can’t seem to bring herself to look him in the eye as she worries her bottom lip. “What do you mean?”

He sighs. “I’ve known you long enough to realize when something’s troubling you. Can I help?”

Julia drops down on her haunches, burying her face in Dogmeat’s fur. He whines softly, licking her hand. “It’s really nothing, Danse. I’m just feeling out of sorts lately.”

“I see.” He crouches down beside her and rests a hand on her shoulder. “Would you like to discuss it? I know whenever I faced a difficult situation, your guidance helped me a great deal. I want to repay you.”

“I appreciate the concern, but there isn’t anything to talk about. Really. I’m fine. Besides, I want to hear about your trip.” She changes the subject and avoids his gaze, trying hard to keep any emotion from showing on her face. She always forgets that Danse is more perceptive than he lets on. She reaches out, brushing her hand over the beard he’s grown in his time away. “This is new.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah. I wanted a change.”

“It looks good on you. So, how is Haylen doing?”

Danse smiles and blushes, glancing away. “Haylen is… doing well. It was nice seeing her.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Julia can’t suppress the surge of jealousy she feels at Danse’s happiness. It’s childish. She knows it is. Danse deserves every happiness, but it still stings to see.

“We discussed her relocating here to Sanctuary. She seemed open to the idea.” His brows crinkle together. He looks so damned hopeful she can barely stand it. “It would certainly make seeing her a great deal easier.”

“I’m really glad, Danse,” she says, patting him on the arm. Julia has the sudden overwhelming urge to see Deacon and doesn’t care to explore exactly why.

He nods, refocusing his attention on her. “I spoke to Preston on my way in. He mentioned that Deacon left a few months ago?”

Julia’s heart drops. She _really_ doesn’t want to discuss that. As if sensing her discomfort, Dogmeat bumps her hand with his nose. “Yeah. He had some work to do with the Railroad.”

“You didn’t go with him?” Danse asks, genuinely confused.

She hesitates, trying her best not to remember that day. It still sits bitterly in her heart. “Yeah. He said he didn’t need me.”

Danse frowns. “I doubt he put it that way.”

Julia huffs a laugh. “Better to hear what Deacon doesn’t say than listen to what he does. He tends to… embellish.”

“To put it mildly,” Danse murmurs dryly. Concern eats away at his joyful expression. “Perhaps he simply wanted to give you time with your son.”

The supper bell rings, and Dogmeat decides in that moment to go rushing off. Feeling mildly betrayed, she stands, brushing off her pants. “Can we not talk about Deacon? I’m really not in the mood.”

Danse follows suit. “If that’s what you want.”

 

Danse ends up joining her for supper, and as much as Julia is happy to see him, she really just wishes he would leave her alone. The way he’s studying her when he thinks she isn’t looking is making her miserable. Julia doesn’t want his pity, or his sympathy. _She just wants Deacon._

Shaun plops down beside Danse and begins to rapid-fire questions at him. Mostly about power armor. Julia never learned much of the inner workings of the suits, preferring stealthier measures, so most of the conversation goes over her head. All the same, she’s glad for the distraction. Gives her time to breathe. Danse manages to make her feel like little more than a misbehaving child under his stern gaze.

After eating, Shaun, now joined by Dogmeat, bounds on ahead, stating that he wants to look at Danse’s armor more. That leaves her alone with him once again, and her muscles tense, hoping Danse will just let it go. Though, one glance at his expression is more than enough to tell her she isn’t going to be so lucky.

“You miss him,” Danse says, staring into the night sky.

“I have no idea what you mean.” Julia looks away, the rush of emotion making her feel vaguely ill.

His mouth forms a thin line. “Julia, that man has been your shadow since before we met. It’s perfectly natural to miss his company. You don’t have to lie.”

Suddenly, she’s Brotherhood again, and Danse is reprimanding her behavior. It’s not a feeling she was ever nostalgic for, to be perfectly honest. Gritting her teeth, she manages a reply. “I’m not under your command anymore, Danse, so drop the attitude. Look, Deacon isn’t here. I don’t know when he’s coming back, and I _don’t_ want to talk about it!”

Before Danse can respond, Julia storms off. She’s tired and doesn’t care if her reaction is childish. Everyone just needs to butt out. She can handle it. After all, she took down the Institute, Boogeyman of the Commonwealth, and this is nothing compared to that.

Nothing at all.


End file.
